Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment

Unit 7: Wastewater Treatment Level 4 – (Grade 5 & 6) Did you know? North East Water reuses treated wastewater from a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in many different ways. It can be used on parks and gardens, on farms to grow crops and pasture, bowling greens, tennis courts, industry, and even on school sporting ovals. For more information on wastewater treatment contact the North East Water Education Officer: 1300 361 622 or education@nerwa.vic.gov.au or go to the North East Water website: www.newater.com.au If based on inquiry learning or blooms Understand Create, Analyse & Evaluate Activity Duration Page Keywords & Definitions 1. Water comes, Water goes? Wastewater Part 1: Water comes, Water goes? Wastewater Part 2: My Town’s Wastewater System 2. Wastewater Treatment Part 1: Introduction to Wastewater Treatment Part 2: Excursion to a Wastewater Treatment Part 3: Never Ever pour it down the sink 3. Be Sustainable! Wastewater Reuse Part 1: Be Sustainable! Wastewater Reuse. Part 2: How good is your wastewater? 2 2 hours 45 minutes 4 5 Analyse & Evaluate 1 hour 2 hours 45 minutes 6 7 7 Create, Analyse & Evaluate VELS links 1 hour 30 minutes 18 18 20-22 Unit Overview The following unit is based on Inquiry learning. This unit follows on from Unit 6: Water Conservation and can be undertaken as part of Unit 4: Water treatment and Distribution. Students will gain a greater understanding of where the water from our schools and houses goes once it has been emptied down the drain or flushed down the toilet. Students explore how the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) treats all our wastewater from the sewer system and how it can be reused after it is treated. Background North East Water operates 18 different Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) within our region. Not all WWTP’s are the same, many different processes are used to treat our wastewater. We also re-use our wastewater in many different ways throughout the catchment. For more information on Wastewater treatment or to book in a Treatment Plant tour please contact the North East Water Education Officer, 1300 361 622 or education@nerwa.vic.gov.au Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 1 of 22 Keywords & Definitions The following keywords and definitions will be explored throughout this unit. In order for students to become familiar with the terminology the keywords and their definitions can be used as ‘words of the week’. Have students write out the keywords and definitions and put them up in the classroom or write them on the board for easy reference.         Aerobic bugs: Bacteria that thrive in oxygen rich water. They eat the waste and remove chemicals in the wastewater. Aeration lagoon: A lagoon that has large mixers, which stir the water and mix in oxygen for the oxygen loving bacteria (aerobic) that remove chemicals in the water. Aluminium & Polyelectrolyte: These chemicals are added to help the dirt and bacteria in the water stick together before they can be filtered out of the water. Anaerobic bugs: Bacteria that thrive in water low in oxygen. They eat the waste and remove chemicals in the wastewater. Chlorine: A chemical added to the water to kill any remaining bacteria to ensure the water is clean and safe. Clear storage: This is a storage basin which holds the clear and clean water. It is disinfected with chlorine to kill any remaining bad bacteria in it. Disinfection: Chlorine is added to the water to kill any remaining bacteria to ensure the water is clean and safe. Facultative lagoon: A lagoon that has a layer of water with oxygen loving bacteria (aerobic) and a layer of water underneath with bacteria who don’t like oxygen (anaerobic). Both munch on the organic matter in the wastewater as food. Filtration: Filters remove the solids (dirt and sediment), bacteria and algae from the water. Grey water: Water that is used in the house which can be reused again in the garden or other parts of the house e.g. washing machine water diverted to the garden; shower water collected in buckets reused in the toilet. Inlet screen: Wastewater is screened as it enters the WWTP at the inlet screen to remove grit, rags and anything else that has been tipped down the drain or toilet. Raw water: Water from a natural source that has not been treated at a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) e.g. The Murray River water. Reticulated or Potable water: Water that has been treated at a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and is pumped to houses, businesses and industries. Reuse: Once the wastewater is treated it can be reused on parks, gardens, on farms, sporting ovals or school grounds. Sand Filters: Sand helps clean the water more by removing any remaining waste from the water. Sewage: Water that has been used and is flushed down the drain or toilet and enters the sewer system. This wastewater gets treated at a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) or in a septic tank. Septic tank: This is a tank that collects wastewater or sewage water from a house (not connected to a sewage plant) and breakdowns the waste on your property. Sludge: The solid waste that has been removed from the water. It is sent to the drying beds where it is turned over with a bulldozer until it dries out and looks like dirt. This dirt can be sent to farms where it is put on paddocks to make crops grow better Stormwater: Rain water that flows off the roofs of houses and buildings and goes down the gutter into the stormwater pipes and flows into nearby creeks and rivers. Tank water: Rain water that is collected from roofs of houses and buildings and diverted into tanks for us to use.             Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 2 of 22   Wastewater: Water from houses, schools and businesses is flushed down the toilet or emptied down the drain. It enters the sewer system and travels to the WWTP or it may go to a septic tank. Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP): The place where wastewater goes to be treated. The plant removes any contaminants, chemicals and bacteria in the wastewater for it to be reused or discharged back into the river. Winter storage: This is an open storage which holds the water before it can be reused on parks, gardens, on farms, sporting ovals or school grounds, or be discharged to a river or creek. Ultraviolet: Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun (or from lights) is used to help kill any of the bacteria in the water once they have eaten the organic matter.   Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 3 of 22 Activity One: Water comes, Water goes? This activity is adapted from the Coliban Water’s Taps and Toilets - Water supply and Wastewater removal game. www.coliban.com.au Overview: This activity builds on from Unit 4: Water Treatment & Distribution although it can be undertaken independently from this unit. Students investigate how wastewater is removed from our schools, houses and towns. They explore the associated costs of a town’s wastewater service and how treated sewage water can be reused in and out of our towns to replace potable (treated) water to use water more sustainably. Duration: Part 1: Water comes, Water goes? Wastewater: 2 hours Part 2: My Town’s Wastewater System: 45 minutes Equipment:       Large pieces of paper (butchers paper or A3 sheets stuck together) A copy of the Water comes, Water goes? Resource Booklet to access diagrams and maps One large packet of pink coloured bendy straws cut into 3cm lengths for each group One large packet of white coloured bendy straws cut into 3cm lengths for each group Other material if wanting to create 3D map, e.g. foam, newspaper, paper mache, cups etc Scissors, Bluetac or glue Part 1: Water comes, Water goes? Wastewater The following activity uses the town plans students created in Unit 4: Water Treatment & Distribution: Activity 2: Water comes, Water goes. Students will need to draw or create their town plans as instructed the Water comes, Water goes? Resource book: Part 1: Raw Water Treatment & Distribution 1. Print a copy of the Water comes, Water goes? Resource booklet and follow the instructions for the Part 3: The Wastewater System 2. Students either, build on their town plan they created in Unit 4: Water Treatment & Distribution, or draw their own plan on large butchers paper, use a larger version of the town plan in the resource booklet, or make up their own plan using the symbols in the resource booklet 3. The aim of game is to connect the school and every house on the town plan to a wastewater system at the lowest cost. Students will do this by drawing a large plan of their town and connecting their school, houses and house blocks to the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) using pink straws lengths (pipes). 4. Students calculate how much money it has cost the town to connect it to a wastewater treatment system using a cost sheet (page 7 of the Water comes, Water goes? Resource book). 5. Undertake the following activity Part 2: My Town’s Wastewater System on page 4. Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 4 of 22 Part 2: My Town’s Wastewater System 1. Draw a P.M.I table, like the one shown below on the board. 2. Explain to students that as a class they are now going to look at the Positives, Minus’ and Interesting facts about their Town’s plan wastewater supply and wastewater removal system. 3. Have students draw the PMI template in their workbooks. 4. Ask students to fill in the first column with all the positive aspects of their town’s plan and the systems that they have designed to connect each house and building to the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to remove their wastewater. Give some examples to help with the thinking process (see below). 5. Once the students have completed the first column, ask them to select one point that they have recorded to share with the class, without repeating what has previously been said. Write the points up on the on the board under Positives. Add any additional points from students not already listed. 6. Next ask students to fill in the second column with all the minus’ or negative facts associated with their town’s plan and the systems that they have designed to connect each house and building to the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to remove their wastewater. Give some examples to help with the thinking process. 7. Again ask the students to select one point that they have recorded that they want to share with the class, without repeating what has previously been said. Write the points up on the board under Minus. Add any additional points from students not already listed. 8. Ask students to fill in the final column. Encouraging students to think broadly and ask questions. Give some examples to kick-start the thinking process (see below). 9. Ask students if they would change their town plans and their wastewater removal system? How would they change it? 10. Explore some of the Interesting items that have come out of conducting the PMI. Topic: My town’s Wastewater System + Plus  All houses are now connected to a wastewater system to remove their wastewater.  All my town’s protected areas were protected  My town plan was the cheapest Minus  ? Interesting / Improvements  How could we reduce the costs of our town’s wastewater system? Could households treat their own waste? What would happen to the wastewater system if all houses installed a septic tank? The total cost of my wastewater system was very expensive My WWTP was located on a hill and I had to use a pump I had to use more pipes to go through the protected areas     Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 5 of 22 Activity Two: Wastewater Treatment Overview: Students investigate how our wastewater is treated, how we can help to improve the quality of wastewater and how we can use it again to be more water wise. Duration: Part 1: Introduction to Wastewater Treatment: 1 hour Part 2: Excursion to a Wastewater Treatment Plant: 2 hours Part 4: Never Ever pour it down the sink: 45 minutes Equipment:       Wastewater Treatment flowchart cards - (page 8) The Wet Wild and Wonderful WWTP diagram (page 12) The Wet Wild & Wonderful recycled wastewater in town diagram (page 14) The Wet Wild & Wonderful recycled wastewater out of town diagram (page 15) Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Excursion activity sheet (page 16) Internet, books and other resources to research terms and definitions Part 1: Introduction to a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) 1. North East Water uses many different processes to clean, treat and even reuse our wastewater. Find out and explore how North East Water treats your wastewater from your school and houses at your local or regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Use the North East Water website to find out how your town treats its wastewater: www.newater.com.au 2. Use the Wastewater treatment diagram, from the Wet Wild and Wonderful resource (page 12) to explain to students the process of how our wastewater is treated and how it is reused. 3. Break students into groups and ask each group to investigate the meaning of the following water treatment terms using the water treatment flow chart cards (page 8). These words can be added to the classroom’s ‘words of the week’ (page 2).       Wastewater Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) Inlet screen Aeration Lagoon Aerobic bugs Anaerobic bugs       Facultative Disinfection Winter storage Filtration Sludge Reuse 4. In groups students are to match the wastewater treatment flow chart cards title cards with the definition cards to explore the different processes of the WWTP. For example Ultra Violet Disinfection (title card)+ UV light kills the bad bugs that are left in the water (definition card) The water treatment flow chart cards are based on the Wet Wild and Wonderful WWTP diagram (page 12). Other cards can be created to represent your local WWTP. 5. Allow groups to view other classmate’s card matching order and discuss the correct definitions of the WWTP process (correct matches are given using the colour code and sequence of the flowchart cards page 8). 6. Discuss the different wastewater treatment processes. Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 6 of 22 Part 2: Excursion to a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) 1. Contact the North East Water Education Officer to arrange a visit to your local or regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to see where the wastewater goes after it leaves your house and school and what it takes with it. 2. Prior to your excursion use the Wastewater treatment diagram, from the Wet Wild and Wonderful resource (page 12) to explain to students the process of how our wastewater is treated and how it is reused. (This activity can be done instead of undertaking the field trip.) 3. When looking at the WWTP process using the Wet Wild and Wonderful WWTP diagram ask students to colour in the diagram. Have students use different colour pencils to illustrate how the water may look as it changes from when it enters the WWTP and goes through the treatment process as it gets cleaner and is eventually reused or released back into the environment. 4. Prior to the WWTP excursion give students a copy of the question sheet from the Wet Wild and Wonderful resource (page 16) to prompt students to ask questions, but do not allow them to answer them during the visit. After the visit have students fill in the answers to the questions and discuss the different wastewater treatment processes. 5. To explore the WWTP process after a WWTP tour use the Wastewater Treatment Flowchart cards (page 8) to demonstrate the step-by-step process of how the wastewater is treated (as in a flowchart). 6. North East Water reuses wastewater in many ways in and out of our towns, including watering some of our school ovals and sports grounds. Use the diagrams on pages 14 & 15 to look at how wastewater can be reused in and out of town. 7. Conduct the Double Bubble activity in Unit 4: Water Treatment and Distribution Activity 3 Reflections on water to compare and draw similarities between treated raw water and wastewater. Part 3: Never Ever pour it down the sink? 1. This activity can be extended when visiting the WWTP. Students are able to ask plant operators what types of materials and items actually get flushed and carried into the treatment plant. 2. Ask students to write up headings in their book according to the different areas of their house plan where they use water. 3. Under each heading get students to think about the types of things the water can take with it when it goes down the drain.      Shampoo, toothpaste and soap from the bathroom; Oils, fats, and food scraps from the kitchen, Toilet paper and other bathroom rubbish (ear cleaners, paper, plastic containers) from the toilet; Grass clippings, leaves, fertilizers, and oil from the car and garden. Other items such as false teeth, toys, money, hair, socks and clothing 4. Regroup students and ask them to select one point that they have recorded that they want to share with the class, without repeating what has previously been said. Write the points up on the board or open up for discussion. 5. Encourage students to think about ways in which these different pollutants and materials can be stopped from going down the drain and toilet. 6. Have students design a poster to inform other students and parents of the Never Ever campaign. This could include messages on what not to put down the sink (paints, fats, oils, sanitary items, food scraps etc) and how these pollutants should be properly disposed of. Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 7 of 22 Activity Sheet 2.1: The wastewater treatment flowchart cards Wastewater WWTP Inlet Screen Aeration Lagoon Aerobic Lagoon Winter storage Facultative Lagoon Chemicals added Page 8 of 22 Ultra Violet Disinfection Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Filtration Removal & drying of Sludge Sand filters Clearwater storage To the River Why do we treat the Waste Water? Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 9 of 22 Water from houses, schools and businesses is flushed down the toilet or emptied down the drain. It enters the sewer system and travels to the WWTP Wastewater is screened as it enters the WWTP to remove grit, rags and anything else that has been tipped down the drain or toilet. The lagoon where large mixers stir the water in the tank and mix in oxygen for the oxygen loving bacteria who remove chemicals in the water This lagoon is where aerobic bacteria (oxygen loving bugs) eat the organic matter in the wastewater. This lagoon has a layer of water with oxygen loving bacteria and a layer of water underneath with bugs who don’t like oxygen (anaerobic) who both munch on the organic matter in the wastewater as food. UV light kills the bad bugs that are left in the water. This open storage holds the water, which can be either reused on parks, gardens, farms, sporting ovals or school grounds. Or it can Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 be discharged to a river or Created creek. by North East Water March 2009 Chemicals are added to help the dirt and bugs in the water stick together before they can be filtered out of Page 10 of 22 the water Filters remove the solids (dirt and sediment), bugs and algae from the water. The solid waste removed from the water is sent to the drying beds. This sludge is turned over with a bulldozer until it dries out and looks like dirt. This dirt can be sent to farms where it is put on paddocks to make crops grow better. Sand helps clean the water more by removing any remaining waste from the water. This storage holds the clear and clean water. It is disinfected with chlorine to kill any remaining bad bugs in it. The clean water then goes to the river or it can be reused on parks, gardens, sporting ovals, school grounds or in industries. We need to treat the waste to get rid of the chemicals in the water as it kills fish and bugs living in creeks and rivers. Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 11 of 22 Activity Sheet 2.2: The Wet Wild and Wonderful (WWTP) diagram Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 12 of 22 Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 13 of 22 Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 14 of 22 Activity Sheet 2.4: The Wet Wild & Wonderful recycled wastewater out of town diagram Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 15 of 22 Activity Sheet 2.5: Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Excursion activity sheet When you pull out the plug, flush the toilet…where does that waste go…and whose problem is it? Name:_________________________________ Date: __________________________ You can find out the answers to these questions on the field trip to the wastewater treatment plant. School:_______________________________________________________________ Name of the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) you visited: ___________________________ 1. How much wastewater is processed daily? _______________________________________________________________________ 2. What kind of rubbish and pollutants are found in our wastewater which should never go down the drain? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 3. How does phosphorous get into our drains and wastewater? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 4. How does phosphorus affect our environment? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What does flocculation mean? Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 16 of 22 6. What is alum? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 7. Why is alum used in processing the wastewater and how does it work? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 8. How long does the wastewater take to be processed? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 9. How do we reuse the wastewater that has been treated in or our of our town? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 10. How many litres are reused in a year? _____________________________________________________________________ 11. How can we help reduce waste in our waterways? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 17 of 22 Activity Three: Be Sustainable! – Wastewater Reuse Overview: This activity extends students learnings from Activity One: Water comes, Water goes? Students are introduced to how treated wastewater can be reused in our towns to replace potable (treated) water to be more sustainable. The activity builds on from visiting a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) where students may learn more about reusing wastewater and the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. Duration: Part 1: Be Sustainable! Wastewater Reuse: 1 hour Part 2: How good is your wastewater? 30 minutes Equipment      A copy of the Water comes, Water goes Resource Booklet to access diagrams and maps Activity One’s Water comes, Water goes- Wastewater students town plans (page 4) One large packet of white coloured bendy straws cut into 3cm lengths for each group Bluetac or glue T-Bar template (page 19) Part 1: Be sustainable! Wastewater Reuse This activity follows on from Activity One: Water comes, Water goes? Wastewater (page 4) 1. Print a copy of the Water comes, Water goes? Resource booklet and follow the instructions for the Part 4: Be sustainable! Wastewater Reuse 2. The aim of this activity is to connect two of the new town areas (school sports oval, school outdoor gardens, golf course, town botanical gardens, farm, or bowling green) to a treated wastewater reuse system at the lowest cost. Students will do this by adding to their town plan from Activity One. 3. Students build an understanding of how treated wastewater from the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) can be used to water areas within or around our town to replace potable water (raw water from the environment that has been treated at a Water Treatment Plant). 4. Students calculate how much money it has cost the town to connect it to the new reuse system and calculate how much money and water their town save by being more sustainable (page 7 of the Water comes, Water goes? Resource book). 5. Have students compile questions to ask North East Water or their local Council to explore how recycled wastewater is being used in their local area. Students can report to the class or school on their findings. Part 2: How good is your wastewater? This activity explores the advantages and disadvantages of connecting a reuse system to use recycled wastewater to water our town’s gardens, sporting grounds, and / or farming areas. 1. Explain to students they will be exploring the advantages and disadvantages of using recycled water compared to potable water (treated raw water from a Water Treatment Plant). 2. Have students draw a T-Bar in their workbooks (page 19). 3. Students are to list the advantages and disadvantages of using recycled wastewater in the corresponding columns. 4. Regroup the class to discuss some of the students points. The advantages and disadvantages can be written up on the board or on butchers paper and put up in the classroom. Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 18 of 22 T-Bar template Topic: The advantages and disadvantages of using recycled wastewater Advantages  It’s more sustainable as it replaces potable water – no water is pumped from the river to water the grounds It’s cheaper No wastewater is returned back into the river It’s a good way to reuse our waste and be more sustainable and water wise. The new garden and sports areas can be watered even if the town was on water restrictions Farmers can use the recycled wastewater to grow crops which means they don’t need to use as much water out of the rivers We can use our sports grounds and maintain them so they are green and do not have dirt patches.     Disadvantages   It costs money to set up new pipes and pumps from the WWTP You may not be able to use the sporting oval or garden straight after its watered People may not like the idea of using wastewater Have to put up no drinking signs Can’t play under the sprinklers or drink the water When it rains too much water may enter the WWTP and overload it. This means larger winter storages need to be built. When towns are on restrictions and households reuse their grey water not enough water may enter the WWTP and therefore there’s not enough to be reused all the time.        Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 19 of 22 Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment LEVEL 4: VELS LINKS Activity 1. Water Comes, Water Goes? Description of Activity Part 1  Designing and costing a system to connect each house and building in their town to the WWTP Part 2  Using a PMI to analyse their design Links to VELS (DOMAIN: Dimensions) HUMANITIES - GEOGRAPHY: Geographical Knowledge and Understanding  Students recommend ways of protecting environmentally sensitive areas in a sustainable way  They use geographic language to identify and describe the human and physical characteristics of local environments depicted by different maps and diagrams Geospatial Skills  Students identify features from maps, satellite images and oblique photographs  They draw sketch maps of their neighbourhood using simple mapping conventions such as title, scale, north point and legend HUMANITIES – ECONOMICS: Economic Reasoning and Understanding  Students use the inquiry process to plan economic investigations about economic issues in the local community and form conclusions supported by evidence DESIGN, CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY: Investigating and Designing  Students contribute to the development of design briefs that include some limitations and specifications. They use a range of methods to research and collect data in response to design briefs  They generate and communicate alternative design ideas in response to a design brief and use words, labelled sketches and models , to demonstrate that they are aware of environmental and social constraints  Students describe how their intended product will function, and what it will look like in the context of the requirements of the design brief  They identify evaluation criteria from design briefs and use them to justify design choices Analysing and Evaluating  Students reflect on their designs as they develop them and use evaluation criteria, identified from design briefs, to justify their design choices  They modify their designs after considered evaluation of feedback from peers and teachers, and their own reflection  They describe the impact their systems would have on people and the environment MATHEMATICS: Working Mathematically  Students recognise and investigate the use of mathematics in real situations Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 20 of 22 Activity 2. Wastewater Treatment Description of Activity Part 1  Silent card shuffle to gain understanding of treatment process  Investigate how their water is treated Part 2  Visit a WWTP Part 3  Developing awareness of items found in waste water systems  Designing an awareness poster Part 1  Designing a way to get reused water to a specific place  Investigate reuse projects in their own towns Links to VELS (DOMAIN: Dimensions) SCIENCE: Science knowledge and understanding  Students explain change in terms of cause and effect  They describe how substances change during reactions  They identify and compare the properties of the new or changed material with those of the original material Science at Work  Students explain how sustainable practices are applied in their local environment HUMANITIES – GEOGRAPHY: Geospatial Skills  Students research, collect, record and describe data obtained through field study surveys to form conclusions about the use of resources COMMUNICATIONS: Listening, Viewing and Responding  Students ask clarifying questions about ideas and information they listen to and view INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY: ICT for Communicating  Students use recommended search engines to locate information THE ARTS: Creating and Making  In their arts works, students communicate ideas and understandings about themselves and others, incorporating influences from their own and other cultures and times  They evaluate the effectiveness of their arts works and make changes to realise intended aims SCIENCE: Science at Work  Students explain how sustainable practices are applied in their local environment HUMANITIES - GEOGRAPHY: Geographical Knowledge and Understanding  Students recommend ways of protecting environmentally sensitive areas in a sustainable way HUMANITIES – ECONOMICS: Economic Reasoning and Understanding  Students use the inquiry process to plan economic investigations about economic issues in the local community and form conclusions supported by evidence THINKING: Reasoning, Processes and Inquiry  Students develop their own questions for investigation, collect relevant information from a range of sources and make judgments about its worth 3. Be Sustainable! Wastewater Reuse Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 21 of 22 Activity Description of Activity Part 2  Using a T-Bar, identify advantages and disadvantages of using recycled water Links to VELS (DOMAIN: Dimensions)    They distinguish between fact and opinion They use the information they collect to develop concepts, solve problems or inform decision making They develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidence DESIGN, CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY: Investigating and Designing  Students contribute to the development of design briefs that include some limitations and specifications. They use a range of methods to research and collect data in response to design briefs Analysing and Evaluating  Students reflect on their designs as they develop them and use evaluation criteria, identified from design briefs, to justify their design choices INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: Communicating  Students use websites to acquire and share information with peers and known and unknown experts  They use recommended search engines to locate information Water Unit 7 Wastewater Treatment VELS 4 Created by North East Water March 2009 Page 22 of 22